Tuesday

Apr 28, 2020 at 12:19 PM

Rhode Island reported six new deaths and new 218 cases of COVID-19 Tuesday morning, marking the third consecutive day that both categories declined from the prior day.

PROVIDENCE — Gov. Gina Raimondo marked another day of progress toward lifting the state’s coronavirus stay-at-home order Tuesday while unveiling a slew of new rules designed to slash health insurance red tape.

"We are really holding our own right now; haven’t really seen much of a decline — which is what we are aiming for — but also not an incline," Raimondo said at her daily COVID-19 remote news conference. "So good job. Good job to everyone who is staying home and wearing their face mask. ... It’s clearly working. It’s clearly saving lives."

Raimondo hopes to lift Rhode Island’s stay-at-home order May 9, but will only do so if coronavirus cases trend downward and residents maintain social distancing.

She noted that earlier Tuesday, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker extended his state’s stay-at-home order until May 18, and she wants to begin reopening the economy here before the Bay State.

Rhode Island reported six new deaths and new 218 cases of COVID-19 Tuesday morning, marking the third consecutive day that both categories declined from the prior day.

The new totals bring Rhode Island’s cumulative coronavirus death toll to 239 people and give the state 7,926 known cases since the beginning of March.

Coronavirus hospitalizations remain stable, giving state leaders more confidence that Rhode Island will not see a surge in patients that overwhelms the health-care system.

There were 266 Rhode Islanders in the hospital due to coronavirus on Tuesday, the same as Monday. Eighty-four were in intensive care, up from 81 reported Monday.

The 218 cases marked the lowest number reported since April 7, but came as testing volume dipped. Twelve percent of those tested were positive, up from 11% Monday, but down from more than 15% for much of last week.

The 1,808 tests reported Tuesday was the fewest since April 14 and is less than half the 3,634 tests reported Saturday.

Rhode Island has received national attention for the large share of its population tested for the novel coronavirus.

Asked why testing has declined in recent days, state Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said Tuesday’s results were from tests collected on Sunday and Monday and were likely depressed somewhat by bad weather.

"We are not at the point of thinking yet that there are fewer people experiencing symptoms, but do anticipate that consideration in the future," Alexander-Scott said. "Nonetheless, we want to continue with the expanded testing approach."

Like other states, Rhode Island is still experiencing shortages of coronavirus testing equipment and reagents, but Alexander-Scott later told reporters on a conference call that every Rhode Islander who wants to be tested for coronavirus can get a test.

Regarding the six new deaths reported Tuesday, Alexander-Scott said they ranged in age from their 50s to their 90s. Five of them lived in nursing homes, and one lived in another congregate setting.

Health insurance

To make sure Rhode Islanders are able to get health care during the crisis, Raimondo announced an executive order she signed Monday with 15 new temporary rules suspending regulations for health-care providers and limiting insurance company restrictions.

The executive order rules, which run to May 27, include:

Preventing insurers from raising out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions or dropping which medications are covered;

Making insurers relax referral requirements for patients to see specialists and extending the amount of time to get referrals;

Eliminating referral requirements for telehealth consultations;

Prohibiting inpatient hospital, rehab, long-term care or telemedicine from being suspended for lack of insurer preauthorization;

Not allowing preauthorization for testing or treatment of COVID-19; and

Making all in-network behavioral health care available without referrals or benefit reviews.

DMV

The Division of Motor Vehicles has been offering limited, appointment-only services during the coronavirus crisis, with all branch offices closed.

On Tuesday, Raimondo created a 90-day grace period for motorists whose licenses and registrations are set to expire in May, so they won’t have to be renewed until August. A three-month grace period is already in place for those whose licenses expire in March and April.

Survey Monkey

To reopen the state’s economy, Rhode Island wants to be able to track what happens to people who test positive and the people they have come in contact with, known as contact tracing.

The governor has favored a technology-driven approach toward contact tracing and on Tuesday she announced a partnership with California software company Survey Monkey to launch a phone-based tracing tool.

Survey Monkey is creating a system to text people on the state’s contact-tracing list multiple times a day with a form that asks them how they are feeling and what symptoms they are experiencing.

That information will enter a COVID-19 database created for the state by the company Salesforce and allow state officials to identify outbreaks.

The text surveys are voluntary, but Raimondo urged anyone who gets one to "opt in."

The state’s human contract tracing team now has 185 people, according to Department of Health spokesman Joseph Wendelken. That team includes 100 members of the National Guard (80 of them making calls), 54 Department of Health case investigators, a 20-member nursing home cluster team and 11 investigators working with group homes.

Gowns

Finally, Raimondo announced that a looming shortage of medical gowns has been alleviated, thanks to donations from Merrow Sewing Machine of Fall River.

"At the end of last week, we were not in a great place as it related to gowns. ... We weren’t sure how we were going to get through the next few weeks," Raimondo said.

The owners of Merrow Sewing, who live in Rhode Island, made more than 3,000 gowns that met Rhode Island’s specifications.

The state has since ordered another 500,000, which Raimondo said should be enough to get through the foreseeable future.

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